Affiliate marketing is a popular strategy for generating considerable online revenue and driving sales. The increasing drive toward less traditional marketing strategies has proven to be quite advantageous to both companies and affiliate marketers. Affiliate marketing is the process of earning a commission by promoting the products of another individual or firm. The affiliate simply finds a product they like, promotes it, and earns a portion of the profit from each sale they make.
How to be a successful affiliate marketer? Here are the secrets!!!
1.
2. Wake up at an ungodly hour. Drive to the office through total gridlock,
streets jammed with other half-asleep commuters. Slog through
email after mind-numbing email until the sweet release at five o’clock.
Sound terrible?
What if, instead of dealing with the monotony and stupor of the rat
race to earn a few bucks, you could make money at any time, from
anywhere — even while you sleep?
That’s the concept behind affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is a popular tactic to drive sales and generate
significant online revenue. Extremely beneficial to both brands and
affiliate marketers, the new push towards less traditional marketing
tactics has paid off. In fact:
• 81% of brands and 84% of publishers leverage the power of
affiliate marketing, a statistic that will continue to increase as
affiliate marketing spending increases every year in the United
States.
• There is a 10.1% increase in affiliate marketing spending in the
United States each year, meaning that by 2020, that number
will reach $6.8 billion.
• In 2018, content marketing costs were gauged to be 62% of
traditional marketing schemes while simultaneously generating
three times the leads of traditional methods. In fact, 16% of all
orders made online can be attributed to the impact of affiliate
marketing.
• In March of 2017, Amazon affiliate structure changed, offering
rates of 1-10% of product revenue for creators, providing the
opportunity for affiliates to dramatically increase their passive
income based on the vertical they’re selling on.
• The affiliate marketing of Jason Stone, otherwise known as
Millionaire Mentor, was responsible for as much as $7 million in
retailer sales just in the months of June and July in 2017.
3. What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is the process by which an affiliate earns a
commission for marketing another person’s or company’s products.
The affiliate simply searches for a product they enjoy, then
promotes that product and earns a piece of the profit from each sale
they make. The sales are tracked via affiliate links from one website
to another.
4. How Does Affiliate Marketing
Work?
Because affiliate marketing works by spreading the responsibilities
of product marketing and creation across parties, it manages to
leverage the abilities of a variety of individuals for a more effective
marketing strategy while providing contributors with a share of the
profit. To make this work, three different parties must be involved:
1. Seller and product creators.
2. The affiliate or advertiser.
3. The consumer.
Let’s delve into the complex relationship these three parties share to
ensure affiliate marketing is a success.
1. Seller and product creators.
The seller, whether a solo entrepreneur or large enterprise, is a
vendor, merchant, product creator, or retailer with a product to
market. The product can be a physical object, like household goods,
or a service, like makeup tutorials.
Also known as the brand, the seller does not need to be actively
involved in the marketing, but they may also be the advertiser and
profit from the revenue sharing associated with affiliate marketing.
For example, the seller could be an ecommerce merchant
that started a drop shipping business and wants to reach a new
audience by paying affiliate websites to promote their products. Or
the seller could be a SaaS company that leverages affiliates to help
sell their marketing software.
2. The affiliate or publisher.
Also known as a publisher, the affiliate can be either an individual or
a company that markets the seller’s product in an appealing way to
potential consumers. In other words, the affiliate promotes the
5. WANT TO BE A SUCCESSFUL AFFILIATE
MARKETTER???
product to persuade consumers that it is valuable or beneficial to
them and convince them to purchase the product. If the consumer
does end up buying the product, the affiliate receives a portion of the
revenue made.
Affiliates often have a very specific audience to whom they market,
generally adhering to that audience’s interests. This creates a
defined niche or personal brand that helps the affiliate attract
consumers who will be most likely to act on the promotion.
3. The consumer.
Whether the consumer knows it or not, they (and their purchases)
are the drivers of affiliate marketing. Affiliates share these products
with them on social media, blogs, and websites.
When consumers buy the product, the seller and the affiliate share
the profits. Sometimes the affiliate will choose to be upfront with the
consumer by disclosing that they are receiving commission for the
sales they make. Other times the consumer may be completely
oblivious to the affiliate marketing infrastructure behind their
purchase.
Either way, they will rarely pay more for the product purchased
through affiliate marketing; the affiliate’s share of the profit is included
in the retail price. The consumer will complete the purchase process
and receive the product as normal, unaffected by the affiliate
marketing system in which they are a significant part.
How Do Affiliate Marketers Get Paid?
A quick and inexpensive method of making money without the hassle
of actually selling a product, affiliate marketing has an undeniable
6. draw for those looking to increase their income online. But how does
an affiliate get paid after linking the seller to the consumer?
The answer can get complicated.
The consumer doesn’t always need to buy the product for the affiliate
to get a kickback. Depending on the program, the affiliate’s
contribution to the seller’s sales will be measured differently.
The affiliate may get paid in various ways:
1. Pay per sale.
This is the standard affiliate marketing structure. In this program, the
merchant pays the affiliate a percentage of the sale price of the
product after the consumer purchases the product as a result of the
affiliate’s marketing strategies. In other words, the affiliate must
actually get the investor to invest in the product before they are
compensated.
2. Pay per lead.
A more complex system, pay per lead affiliate
programmes compensates the affiliate based on the conversion of
leads. The affiliate must persuade the consumer to visit the
merchant’s website and complete the desired action — whether it’s
filling out a contact form, signing up for a trial of a product,
subscribing to a newsletter, or downloading software or files.
3. Pay per click.
This program focuses on incentivizing the affiliate to redirect
consumers from their marketing platform to the merchant’s website.
This means the affiliate must engage the consumer to the extent that
they will move from the affiliate’s site to the merchant’s site. The
affiliate is paid based on the increase in web traffic.
Why Be an Affiliate Marketer?
What are the reasons to become an affiliate marketer?
7. 1. Passive income.
While any “regular” job requires you to be at work to make money,
affiliate marketing offers you the ability to make money while you
sleep. By investing an initial amount of time into a campaign, you will
see continuous returns on that time as consumers purchase the
product over the following days and weeks. You receive money for
your work long after you’ve finished it. Even when you’re not in front
of your computer, your marketing skills will be earning you a steady
flow of income.
2. No customer support.
Individual sellers and companies offering products or services have
to deal with their consumers and ensure they are satisfied with what
they have purchased.
Thanks to the affiliate marketing structure, you’ll never have to be
concerned with customer support or customer satisfaction. The
entire job of the affiliate marketer is to link the seller with the
consumer. The seller deals with any consumer complaints after you
receive your commission from the sale.
3. Work from home.
If you’re someone who hates going to the office, affiliate marketing is
the perfect solution. You’ll be able to launch campaigns and receive
revenue from the products that sellers create while working from the
comfort of your own home. This is a job you can do without ever
getting out of your pajamas.
4. Cost-effective.
Most businesses require startup fees as well as a cash flow to finance
the products being sold. However, affiliate marketing can be done at
a low cost, meaning you can get started quickly and without much
hassle. There are no affiliate programme fees to worry about and no
need to create a product. Beginning this line of work is relatively
straightforward.
8. 5. Convenient and flexible.
Since you’re essentially becoming a freelancer, you get ultimate
independence in setting your own goals, redirecting your path when
you feel so inclined, choosing the products that interest you, and
even determining your own hours. This convenience means you can
diversify your portfolio if you like or focus solely on simple and
straightforward campaigns. You’ll also be free from company
restrictions and regulations as well as ill-performing teams.
6. Performance-Based rewards.
With other jobs, you could work an 80-hour week and still earn the
same salary. Affiliate marketing is purely based on your performance.
You’ll get from it what you put into it. Honing your reviewing skills and
writing engaging campaigns will translate to direct improvements in
your revenue. You’ll finally get paid for the outstanding work you do!
7. Do Not Underestimate the Power of
SEO.
There’s a ton of organic traffic you can get from search engines if you
do SEO properly. The days when Search Engine Optimization was
about cheating Google are gone. Today, it is about making your
website better for visitors. People naturally look for information
online. That’s why you should learn the basics of on-page SEO,
keyword research and link building to be the information source they
find first. Who wouldn’t want to rank #1 for terms such as “best
product” or “product review” in Google?
Common Types of Affiliate Marketing
Channels
Most affiliates share common practices to ensure that their audience
is engaged and receptive to purchasing promoted products. But not
all affiliates advertise the products in the same way. In fact, there are
several different marketing channels they may leverage.
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BE SUCCESSFUL IN ONLINE BUSINESS!!!
1. Influencers.
An influencer is an individual who holds the power to impact the
purchasing decisions of a large segment of the population. This
person is in a great position to benefit from affiliate marketing. They
already boast an impressive following so it’s easy for them to direct
consumers to the seller’s products through social media posts, blogs,
and other interactions with their followers. The influencers then
receive a share of the profits they helped to create.
Influencer marketing campaigns are particularly popular on
Instagram where brands partner with influencers who are seen as
experts or authorities in their specific niches. Depending on the deal,
a campaign could consist of a series of product reviews with photos,
account takeovers, or live videos. While an influencer might have
their own branding and aesthetic, it’s important to add elements that
tie up with your brand to ensure brand recall and recognition. This
can be achieved by using apps like instasize where you can quickly
edit and customize your campaign’s creatives in a tap.
2. Bloggers.
With the ability to rank organically in search engine queries, bloggers
excel at increasing a seller’s conversions. The blogger samples the
product or service and then writes a comprehensive review that
promotes the brand in a compelling way, driving traffic back to the
seller’s site.
The blogger is awarded for his or her influence spreading the word
about the value of the product, helping to improve the seller’s sales.
For example, my article on the best email marketing includes product
reviews and affiliate links throughout.
10. 3. Paid search focused microsites.
Developing and monetizing microsites can also garner a serious
amount of sales. These sites are advertised within a partner site or
on the sponsored listings of a search engine. They are distinct and
separate from the organization’s main site. By offering more focused,
relevant content to a specific audience, microsites lead to increased
conversions due to their simple and straightforward call to action.
4. Email lists.
Despite its older origins, email marketing is still a viable source of
affiliate marketing income. Some affiliates have email lists they can
use to promote the seller’s products. Others may leverage email
newsletters that include hyperlinks to products, earning a
commission after the consumer purchases the product.
Another method is for the affiliate to build an email list overtime. They
use their various campaigns to collect emails en masse, then send
out emails regarding the products they are promoting.
5. Large media websites.
Designed to create a huge amount of traffic at all times, these sites
focus on building an audience of millions. These websites promote
products to their massive audience through the use of banners and
contextual affiliate links. This method offers superior exposure and
improves conversion rates, resulting in a top-notch revenue for both
the seller and the affiliate.
Tips to Help You Become A Successful
Affiliate Marketer
1. Develop a rapport.
When beginning your affiliate marketing career, you’ll want to
cultivate an audience that has very specific interests. This allows you
to tailor your affiliate campaigns to that niche, increasing the
likelihood that you’ll convert. By establishing yourself as an expert in
11. one area instead of promoting a large array of products, you’ll be able
to market to the people most likely to buy the product.
2. Make it personal.
There is no shortage of products you’ll be able to promote. You’ll
have the ability to pick and choose products that you personally
believe in, so make sure that your campaigns center around truly
valuable products that consumers will enjoy. You’ll achieve an
impressive conversion rate while simultaneously establishing the
reliability of your personal brand.
You’ll also want to get really good at email outreach to work with
other bloggers and influencers. Use a tool like contactout or voila
nobert to gather people’s contact information and send
personalized emails to garner guest blogging and affiliate
opportunities.
3. Start reviewing products and services.
Focus on reviewing products and services that fall within your niche.
Then, leveraging the rapport you have created with your audience
and your stance as an expert, tell your readers why they would
benefit from purchasing the product or service you are promoting.
Almost anything sold online can be reviewed if there is an affiliate
program – you can review physical products, digital software, or even
services booked online, like ride-sharing or travel resort booking. It is
especially effective to compare this product to others in the same
category. Most importantly, make sure you are generating detailed,
articulate content to improve conversions.
4. Use several sources.
Instead of focusing on just an email campaign, also spend time
making money with a blog, reaching out to your audience on social
media, and even looking into cross-channel promotions.
Test a variety of marketing strategies to see which one your audience
responds to the most. Make frequent use of this technique.
12. For more information, you can check out this article on how to start a
successful blog this year.
5. Choose campaigns with care.
No matter how good your marketing skills are, you’ll make less
money on a bad product than you will on a valuable one. Take the
time to study the demand for a product before promoting it. Make
sure to research the seller with care before teaming up. Your time is
worth a lot, and you want to be sure you’re spending it on a product
that is profitable and a seller you can believe in.
6. Stay current with trends.
There is serious competition in the affiliate marketing sphere. You’ll
want to make sure you stay on top of any new trends to ensure you
remain competitive. Additionally, you’ll likely be able to benefit from
at least a few of the new marketing techniques that are constantly
being created. Be sure you’re keeping up to date on all these new
strategies to guarantee that your conversion rates, and therefore
revenue, will be as high as possible.
What are the Top Affiliate Marketing Trends ?
1. Improved affiliate reporting and attribution.
Many affiliate programs run with last-click attribution, where the
affiliate receiving the last click before the sale gets 100% credit for
the conversion. This is changing. With affiliate platforms providing
new attribution models and reporting features, you are able to see a
full-funnel, cross-channel view of how individual marketing tactics are
working together.
For example, you might see that a paid social campaign generated
the first click, Affiliate X got click 2, and Affiliate Y got the last click.
With this full picture, you can structure your affiliate commissions so
13. that Affiliate X gets a percentage of the credit for the sale, even
though they didn’t get the last click.
2. Influencer niches are becoming hyper-
targeted.
In the past, large affiliates were the mainstay, as catch-all coupons
and media sites gave traffic to hundreds or thousands of advertisers.
This is not so much the case anymore. With consumers using long-
tail keywords and searching for very specific products and services,
influencers can leverage their hyper-focused niche for affiliate
marketing success. Influencers may not send advertisers huge
amounts of traffic, but the audience they do send is credible,
targeted, and has higher conversion rates.
3. GDPR is changing how personal data is
collected.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which took effect
on May 25, 2018, is a set of regulations governing the use of personal
data across the EU. This is forcing some affiliates to obtain user data
through opt-in consent (updated privacy policies and cookie notices
even if they are not located in the European Union. This new
regulation should also remind you to follow FTC guidelines and
clearly disclose that you receive affiliate commissions from your
recommendations.
4. Affiliate marketers are getting smarter.
Merchants receiving a large percentage of their revenue from the
affiliate channel can become reliant on their affiliate partners. This
can lead to affiliate marketers leveraging their important status to
receive higher commissions and better deals with their advertisers.
Whether it’s CPA, CPL, or CPC commission structures, there are a
lot of high paying affiliate programs and affiliate marketers are in the
driver’s seat.
14. What Affiliate Marketing Strategies Should
You Employ ?
1. Only recommend products you are extremely
familiar with.
Building trust with your audience is paramount in affiliate marketing,
and the quickest way to lose trust is to recommend products either
you haven’t used before or that aren’t a good fit for your audience.
Also make sure you never tell anyone to directly buy a product, you
are simply recommending the product. The more helpful you are and
the more you make quality recommendations, the more likely your
web visitors will come back for your expertise.
2. Promote products from many different
merchants.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. If you only promote one
merchant’s products, you are stuck with their commissions, their
landing pages, and ultimately, their conversion rates. It is important
to work with many different merchants in your niche and promote a
wide range of products.
This affiliate marketing strategy will diversify the number of
commissions you make and create a steady stream of revenue when
building an affiliate website. Some examples of affiliate merchants
include brands like BigCommerce, Bluehost, and Simplybook.me
3. Constantly test and optimize your
conversion rates.
Let’s say you have a promotions page where you’re promoting a
product via affiliate links. If you currently get 5,000 visits/month at a
2% conversion rate, you have 100 referrals. To get to 200 referrals,
15. you can either focus on getting 5,000 more visitors or simply
increasing the conversion rate to 4%.
Which sounds easier? Instead of spending months building Domain
Authority with blogging and guest posts to get more organic traffic,
you just have to increase the conversion rate by 2%. This can include
landing page optimization, testing your calls-to-action, and having a
conversion rate optimization strategy in place. By testing and
optimizing your site, you’ll get far better results with much less effort.
4. Focus on your affiliate traffic sources.
It’s important to know where your traffic is coming from and the
demographics of your audience. This will allow you to customize your
messaging so that you can provide the best affiliate product
recommendations. You shouldn’t just focus on the vertical you’re in,
but on the traffic sources and audience that’s visiting your site. Traffic
sources may include organic, paid, social media, referral, display,
email, or direct traffic.
You can view traffic source data in Google Analytics to view things
such as time on page, bounce rate, geo location, age, gender, time
of day, devices (mobile vs. desktop), and more so that you can focus
your effort on the highest converting traffic. This analytics data is
crucial to making informed decisions, increasing your conversion
rates, and making more affiliate sales.
Benefits To Joining the BigCommerce Affiliate
Program
1. Industry-leading commissions.
In the Big commerce affiliate programme, you receive a 200% bounty
per referral and $1,500 per Enterprise referral, with no cap on
commissions. Plus, the more referrals you drive through the program,
the higher your commission tier will go. BigCommerce uses an
industry-leading 90-day cookie, so you will receive credit for up to
three months for the referrals you generate. Also, there are no
obligations or minimum commitments to join the program.
16. 2. Strategic growth.
BigCommerce provides unique strategies to help you grow, increase
your websites visibility. You’ll be able to save time and money on
content creation by linking to WordPress blogs, webinars, and more
with content developed by BigCommerce for your audience.
3. Powerful tracking.
Our affiliate dashboard offers a comprehensive look at your clicks,
trials, sales, and commissions. You can view your earnings, track
performance, and get paid at the same time every month.
4. A dedicated account manager.
You will have direct access to an affiliate expert who understands
your business and your goals. BigCommerce will work with your team
and our conversion rate experts to maximize your commissions and
earnings per click. We provide 1-on-1 support through phone and
email, quarterly affiliate contests, and our latest product updates.
5. Promotion made easy.
In your dashboard, you will have easy access to our pre-made text
links, banners and content. Promote BigCommerce anywhere on
your site by simply inserting our affiliate links on your pages.
Join The BigCommerce Affiliate Program
If your audience is looking to launch an online business, migrate
their ecommerce platform, or simply interested in ecommerce
content, we encourage you to apply for big commerce affiliate
programme. Our team will carefully review your application. Once
approved, you will receive access to support, tracking, reporting,
payments, and have your own unique affiliate link to track every
referral you generate. BigCommerce is committed to the success of
our affiliate partners.
17. Executive Summary
Affiliate marketing is an ideal solution for those looking to gain control
of their own income by focusing on performance-based revenue
options. Working in tandem with a seller, a motivated affiliate
marketer will be able to achieve a passive income from the comfort
of their home without worrying about producing their own product or
service.
Although the success of the job does depend on the affiliate’s
marketing skills, it can prove to be an effective way to meet your
income goals as either a primary career or a profitable second job.
An elegantly straightforward process, affiliate marketing via reviews,
blogs, social media, webinar software, and other platforms is a new
frontier in marketing that’s just waiting to be utilized.